Obama warns TPP failure would let China write trade rules

[AndrewJin]

I particularly find it disturbing actually and my students have complained about this , many university students complaining to the campus' student government on the use of Unisex designation. The College Dean answered by saying that the use of 'unisex' bathrooms is to accomodate all students, irrespective of race, religion and sexual orientation.

Can you imagine it? As if unisex bathrooms serves religious groups? LOL. Okay, so now female students who need privacy will have to be forced to share the same stalls as male students, and this serves a security issue especially for students who are inebriated , God knows what could happen if several drunken male students are in a bathroom and a female student is in there. This is a college campus safety issue, given the current date rape issue in US college campuses.

I find it just disgusting. Sacrifice the concerns of the majority to appease a statistically insignificant number , the transgender students. America has changed culturally, really. This LGBT agenda has become a monster of its own and its sickening how such a small minority has influenced policy makers and now is infringing on the rights of majority of Americans.

Thank God Japan is not affected by this unnatural social cancer.

unisex? Or u need sex?

 

[Cossack25A1]

In regards to LGBT awareness and rights, America is in a league of its own.

In fact in Japan being gay or lesbian is severe social taboo, no one will 'persecute' one for being gay or lesbian, but it is very disgraceful for the family in the sight of others. It is antithetic to the Japanese Culture and quite frankly will not gain foothold since Japan still is verily much socially conservative.

In the Philippines, from my understanding, gays and lesbians have a comedic role in society, yes? The ones i've seen during my stay in Manila were those who go about from house to house selling feminine wares , and manicure supplies? lol. I still remember the one time i was out with some Japanese friends who were in Manila with me for a business trip, and you can easily spot the 'bayot' because they dress and walk as if they are women? Anong saying? "Bakla na bakla talaga..."

They can be easily spotted by the way they dress, the way they present in the society, they way they move or act and the way they speak. And yes, they are very active in the entrainment sector. For being a Catholic nation, we Filipinos are quite tolerant of the LGBT community despite that their are some who view them in negative light.

Although there are some stories here in the PH that having an LGBT in the family is an embarrassment, specially for the more conservative families.

But I have yet to see one going house to house selling feminine wares

Anyways, I dunno why Obama warns others about AIIB as while I may not like China, what Obama is doing is simply childish.

Hmmmn....so its a little like how the Jews play the Anti-Semetic card, the Blacks the Racist card and the Muslims the Islamophobia card whenever we're criticized !

People will be people !

And I am socially conservative too !

By the way when I met @Cossack25A1 and I was like 'whats up my Fillipino brother' !

He was like 'I don't socialize with people who support Liverpool FC when I am a Man United fan' !

To think that Asian brotherhood hinges on the support for English football teams !

Sorry for not responding

 

[terranMarine]

Thousands in Germany Protest Against Trade Deal | Al Jazeera America

Thousands of people marched in Berlin, Munich and other German cities on Saturday in protest against a planned free trade deal between Europe and the United States that many fear will erode food, labor and environmental standards.

Opposition to the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) is particularly high in Germany. A recent YouGov poll showed that 43 percent of Germans believe TTIP would be bad for the country, compared to 26 percent who see it as positive.

The level of resistance has taken Chancellor Angela Merkel's government and German industry by surprise, and they are now scrambling to reverse the tide and save a deal that proponents say could add $100 billion in annual economic output on both sides of the Atlantic.

In Berlin, a crowd estimated by police at 1,500 formed a human chain winding from the Potsdamer Platz square, past the U.S. embassy and through the Brandenburg Gate to offices of the European Commission.

In Munich, police put the crowd at 3,000, while organizers Attac estimated it at 15,000. Hundreds also marched in Leipzig, Stuttgart, Frankfurt and other European cities on what Attac hailed as a "global day of action" against free trade, though the protests appeared to be largest in Germany.

"I think this deal will open the door to genetically modified foods here," said Jennifer Ruffatto, 28, who works with handicapped people and was pushing her baby in a stroller. "Companies will gain from this at the expense of people."

Helmut Edelhauesser, a 52-year-old from Brandenburg, said he would prefer a free trade deal with Russa.

"The U.S. push for world domination is unacceptable," he told Reuters. "Obama sends out drones to kill people and wins the Nobel Peace Prize. This has to stop."


China gonna write the rules for EU too if TTIP fails?

 

[Aepsilons]

Very interesting developments, indeed.

 

[terranMarine]

Very interesting developments, indeed.

btw fascinating story about the unisex

 

[Aepsilons]

btw fascinating story about the unisex

Its really bad actually. And most of the ones complaining are female students.

One can say that this "gender friendly" policy is sexist.

Oh the irony.


Rowan University students dish on 'all gender' campus bathrooms | NJ.com

 

[terranMarine]

Its really bad actually. And most of the ones complaining are female students.

One can say that this "gender friendly" policy is sexist.

Oh the irony.


Rowan University students dish on 'all gender' campus bathrooms | NJ.com

Topic of the day during your lecture? hahhaha

 

[Aepsilons]

Topic of the day during your lecture? hahhaha

Yea, some of my students were complaining about it (mostly female kids). And i think its not fair because they removed the male urinal stalls, and replaced it with mostly toilets. So you can imagine some male students not cleaning up after their urinate, and this discomforts the females who have to use the same toilet stalls. Its just not right.

But what can we do, since the university takes federal funding , it has to 'consider' federal issues such as LGBT rights. I'm in no way anti-gay, or anti-lgbt, its just that the complaints by some of the majority of students are real and shouldn't be ignored just to appease a very minority few.

Whatever, i don't work in academic administration. I couldn't deal with all that politically-sensitive crap they have to deal with.

 

[terranMarine]

Yea, some of my students were complaining about it (mostly female kids). And i think its not fair because they removed the male urinal stalls, and replaced it with mostly toilets. So you can imagine some male students not cleaning up after their urinate, and this discomforts the females who have to use the same toilet stalls. Its just not right.

But what can we do, since the university takes federal funding , it has to 'consider' federal issues such as LGBT rights. I'm in no way anti-gay, or anti-lgbt, its just that the complaints by some of the majority of students are real and shouldn't be ignored just to appease a very minority few.

Whatever, i don't work in academic administration. I couldn't deal with all that politically-sensitive crap they have to deal with.

I SMELL a market for Japanese advanced toilets industry. Self cleaning robotic toilets?

 

[Aepsilons]

I SMELL a market for Japanese advanced toilets industry. Self cleaning robotic toilets?

lol!!

 

[mike2000 is back]

Obama: ‘Doesn’t make any sense’ few U.S. cars in Japan
David Shepardson, Detroit News Washington Bureau5:52 p.m. EDT April 17, 2015
14TWEETLINKEDIN 4COMMENTEMAILMORE

President Barack Obama defended a bill proposed Thursday that would allow for a “fast track” vote on a 12-nation free trade deal accounting for 40 percent of the world’s economy, saying it “doesn’t make any sense” that there are few U.S. vehicles in Japan.

Detroit’s Big Three automakers, the United Auto Workers union and many Democrats are strongly opposed to the fast track bill and to the Trans-Pacific Partnership, a trade deal under negotiation for more than four years including Japan, Canada, Mexico and other countries.

“Being opposed to this new trade agreement is essentially a ratification of the status quo, where a lot of folks are selling here, but we’re not selling there. Japan is one of the negotiators in this deal. Now, the last time I checked, if you drive around Washington, there are a whole bunch of Japanese cars. You go to Tokyo and count how many Chryslers and GM and Ford cars there are. So the current situation is not working for us. And I don’t know why it is that folks would be opposed to us opening up the Japanese market more for U.S. autos, or U.S. beef. It doesn’t make any sense,” Obama said at a news conference Friday. “So I’m going to be able to make a strong case.”

But the free trade agreement is not just about U.S. access to Japan’s market — but about tariffs on imported U.S. vehicles.

Automakers say a trade deal must prevent Japan from being able to manipulate its currency valuation, which makes U.S. exports more expensive in Japan and Japanese exports cheaper in the United States in their respective currencies.

Obama referenced currency in his remarks. But Rep. Sander Levin, D-Royal Oak, the top Democrat on the panel overseeing trade, said the fast track measure needs to go further on currency. The Obama administration has refused to raise currency in trade talks. He called the fast track bill “a major step backwards” on trade talks.

“We strongly support the inclusion of enforceable currency rules in (fast track) and in all future trade deals. The current language does not sufficiently address the most significant trade barrier manufacturers face,” said Ford spokeswoman Christin Baker.

A trade group representing Ford Motor Co., General Motors Co. and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV said “we look forward to working with lawmakers to include strong and enforceable currency manipulation language in all future trade agreements."

Nick Merrill, a spokesman for Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton, said Friday that any “new trade measure has to pass two tests: First, it should put us in a position to protect American workers, raise wages and create more good jobs at home. Second, it must also strengthen our national security. We should be willing to walk away from any outcome that falls short of these tests. The goal is greater prosperity and security for American families, not trade for trade’s sake.

The Trans-Pacific Partnership is a cornerstone of the Obama administration’s economic policy agenda. The administration argues that by dropping barriers and tariffs with fast-growing economies it will support millions of U.S. jobs through higher exports. And they argue it will strengthen the U.S. alliance with Japan — a key counterbalance to China’s rising influence.

Automakers worry that foreign governments like Japan's will be able to weaken their currency to undercut U.S. vehicle production.

The U.S. auto industry is worried a deal will be reached that doesn't do enough to open the Japanese auto sector to American products. Japan has historically imported very few foreign automobiles. The auto sector accounts for more than 70 percent of the U.S. trade deficit with Japan. "Right now Japanese cars are abundant in America. American cars are virtually nonexistent in Japan — and when you talk about that, you talk about opportunity," Perez said.

American automakers fear if Japan intervenes to weaken its currency, its automakers eventually will be able to dramatically undercut them, especially when U.S. tariffs are phased out — 25 percent on light trucks and 2.5 percent on cars. Automakers want the tariffs kept in place for at least 25 years or more. And China could seek to enter the free-trade agreement under the same rules down the road.

Japanese automakers argue that U.S. automakers haven’t build enough small cars that Japanese consumers want and haven’t made a serious attempt to sell cars in Japan.

DShepardson@detroitnews.com
Obama: ‘Doesn’t make any sense’ few U.S. cars in Japan

*************************************************************

How can the Japanese escape the sweeping radar?

Snuff bottle
Transparent, golden-brown amber with
some age crizzling; carved in relief on
one main side with two children on a
grassy ground, one standing holding
a vase of flowers and a fruit
Opulent agate cap with jade
embellishment rounded the edge

Good post keel. Truth is that the U.S has been to soft on Japan. Japans market is a very closed /protected one. And Japanese consumers ate highly patriotic and prefer their products when given a choice. U.S companies are not playing on a level playing, unlike Japanese companies who have a god access to the U.S. in fact China is U.S most important customer/market in Asia , yes China is still more open than Japan unlike what most of us think and its only set to increase with time. U.S companies make huge sums of money in China and enjoy huge market shares/dominance. Just look at car industry, where GM now sells more in China(though with help of chinese SOE car makers alias OEM. Lol) than even the U.S. meanwhile in Japan you hardly ever see western/U.S brands dominate the market there . So Japan has indeed been smart I must say( and they always keep a low profile). Shrewed people I must say. They can eat their cake and have it. Lool kudos to that.

 

[Aepsilons]

Good post keel. Truth is that the U.S has been to soft on Japan. Japans market is a very closed /protected one. And Japanese consumers ate highly patriotic and prefer their products when given a choice. U.S companies are not playing on a level playing, unlike Japanese companies who have a god access to the U.S. in fact China is U.S most important customer/market in Asia , yes China is still more open than Japan unlike what most of us think and its only set to increase with time. U.S companies make huge sums of money in China and enjoy huge market shares/dominance. Just look at car industry, where GM now sells more in China(though with help of chinese SOE car makers alias OEM. Lol) than even the U.S. meanwhile in Japan you hardly ever see western/U.S brands dominate the market there . So Japan has indeed been smart I must say( and they always keep a low profile). Shrewed people I must say. They can eat their cake and have it. Lool kudos to that.

@mike2000 is back ,

Its not an issue of Japanese market is closed to American products, trust me, the American corporate presence has been active in Japanese Market for a very long time. The difference , my friend, is that while Americans are willing to sell their stocks or even agree to a merger and acquisition with Japanese Companies; Japanese are not so open to such corporate takeover. Trust me, there have been many instances of American companies offering to purchase Japanese companies (even ones that are underperforming) but Japanese companies and their employees are hesitant in selling to Gaijin companies.

Japanese Companies don't usually sell themselves to foreign companies. Its the other way around; Japanese companies purchase foreign companies.

We didn't win the war , but we're still CONQUERING bits and pieces of the world.

 

[BoQ77]

all game has its rule.
it takes time for all to arrange the common things.

TPP is a big and potential game, but US could decide by themselves whether start the game or not

 

[mike2000 is back]

@mike2000 is back ,

Its not an issue of Japanese market is closed to American products, trust me, the American corporate presence has been active in Japanese Market for a very long time. The difference , my friend, is that while Americans are willing to sell their stocks or even agree to a merger and acquisition with Japanese Companies; Japanese are not so open to such corporate takeover. Trust me, there have been many instances of American companies offering to purchase Japanese companiecountr ones that are underperforming) but Japanese companies and their employees are hesitant in selling to Gaijin companies.

Japanese Companies don't usually sell themselves to foreign companies. Its the other way around; Japanese companies purchase foreign companies.

We didn't win the war , but we're still CONQUERING bits and pieces of the world.

Ahahahahah... Nice 1. That's why I still respect Japan more than any other country in Asia. After all you are still the most advanced country in Asia and the first to industrialise, so obviously you know/master the game better than any other country, since you have been plying it longer than any other country in Asia.

Its also for this reason I think the U.S has far more interests in China than in Japan. Since China is still relatively more open and they love western/U.S brands/products, so obviously we have more stakes there than in Japan. Those small/poor countries in Asia who think our governments in the west/U.S will jeopardise our market interests/share in china for the sake of some useless islands we have no stake in are living in a dreamland called Disneyland.lool

 

[AndrewJin]

Ahahahahah... Nice 1. That's why I still respect Japan more than any other country in Asia. After all you are still the most advanced country in Asia and the first to industrialise, so obviously you know/master the game better than any other country, since you have been plying it longer than any other country in Asia.

Its also for this reason I think the U.S has far more interests in China than in Japan. Since China is still relatively more open and they love western/U.S brands/products, so obviously we have more stakes there than in Japan. Those small/poor countries in Asia who think our governments in the west/U.S will jeopardise our market interests/share in china for the sake of some useless islands we have no stake in are living in a dreamland called Disneyland.lool

What's happened to @mike2000 ?